CM Mamata distributes Rs 1 lakh cheques to 1,000 unemployed youth

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday handed over the cheques to 1,000 beneficiaries from different parts of the state.

The objective of the scheme is to generate self-employment in transport sector by providing financial assistance. A person applying for the assistance under the scheme will get maximum Rs 1 lakh to buy a vehicle.

Gatidhara is a dream project of Banerjee and she herself had drawn the logo for the scheme.

A sticker containing the logo will be pasted on all the vehicles which were bought under the scheme.

People who received cheques from the Chief Minister had come to the city on Friday morning from different parts of the state including Darjeeling, Midnapore and Purulia.

Srikanta Das, an umployed youth from Jangalmahal, said: “It was always a dream to buy a mini-truck. The financial assistance by the state government has given shape to my dreams. I believe that the scheme will change my life as it gave me the means of livelihood. I no more have to worry to meet both ends of my family members.”

It may be mentioned that with the implementation of the project, around 25,000 families in the state will be benefitted. In the past four years, permits for around 15,000 blue and white taxis, 5,000 buses and 10,000 luxury taxis have been issued.

The State Transport Department had also set up 1,300 centres to help unemployed youth to avail the scheme easily.

People working in these centres are helping the applicants to know the details to apply for the scheme and also helped them to get themselves enrolled with the employment exchange, which is a mandatory criterion to avail the scheme.

Assistance has also been provided to the beneficiaries to get road permit from the state transport authority (STA) or regional transport authority (RTA).

At the same time they have been helped to get registration number of their vehicles.

The Chief Minister has also distributed laptops and bicycles among students from Kolkata Municipal Corporation-run schools.